Bed-rail fastener



March 18, 1930.

PM. HOWSE BED RAIL FASTENER Filed Sept. 1928 Patented Mar. 1 8, 1930 UNITED STATES PHILIP 1V1'.. HOW SE, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE BED-RAIL FASTENER Application filed September This invention relates to furniture and more particularly to an improved fastener by means of which a side rail of a bed may be retained in engagement with a head and a foot of a bed.

One object of the invention is to provide a fastener adapted to be secured against the inner surface of a bed rail where it will be out of the way and also hidden from view,

and not detract from the appearance of a bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bed rail fastener including anchors which are slidably mounted for movement into and out of an operative position and permitted to have sliding movement independent of each other until they are properly engaged with pins carried by the head or foot of a bed and then simultaneously drawn upon until the bed rail is firmly secured to the companion head or foot of the bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastener of this character which will not be liable to slip after a bed rail has been secured and serve to very firmly secure the bed rail but at the same time permit it to be easily released when necessary.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a View showing the improved fastener in elevation and in operative engagement with pins carried by a head or foot of a bed, a corner post of which is shown in section.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through the inner end portion of the device taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

The improved fastener constituting the subject matter of this invention is employed to securely but releasably connect the bed rail 1 with a corner post 2 of a head or foot of a bed, the corner post being provided with 45 the usual pocket 3 through which extend upper and lower pins 4. It will thus be seen that the fastener may be applied to a bed having-side rails and a head and foot of conventional construction.

The bracket or body portion 5 of the fas- 1, 19,28. Serial No. 303,446.

tener is formed of strong metal and has its outer end portion bent to form an abutment flange 6 in which upper and lower openings or slots 7 are formed and its inner end'portion bent to provide a flange or bearing 8 having an opening 9 formed therein disposed in a plane intermediate the upper and lower openings of the flange 6. A grapple is carried by the body or bracket 5 and includes upper and lower anchors 10 each of which consists of a strip of metal similar to that from which the bracket is formed. These anchors which are slidably received in the openings 7 have their outer ends formed with hooks 11 to engage the pins 4 as shown in Figure 1 and their inner ends are pivotally connected with a yoke or bridge 12 by rivets 13. It will thus be seen that while the two anchors are connected by the yoke 12 they will be permitted to have sliding movement 9 to a'certain extent independent of each other, due to their pivotal connection with the yoke.

A stem 14. which has one end portion threaded as shown at 15 slidably passes through the opening 9 in the bearing or flange 8 and at its forward end the stem is flattened and formed with a head 16 which is disposed against the inner side face of the yoke 12 where it is pivotally connected therewith by a rivet 17 passed through the yoke intermediate :the 9 length thereof. A spring 18 which is coiled about the stem with one end bearing against the head 16 and its other end bearing against the flange 8 yieldably resists inward or rearward movement of the grapple 10 and in or- 5 der to adjust the stem against the action of the spring there has been provided a nut 19 which is threaded upon the stem and bears against the flange 8.

Upon an inspection of Figure 1 it will be readily seen that when it is desired to connect a bed rail with a corner post of a head or 'foot of a bed the anchors 10 are passed into the pocket 3 and engaged with the pins 4. The nut 19 isthen tightened so that it drawsthe stem rearwardly against the action of the spring 18 and in doing so a' pulling action is exerted against the yoke 12 so that the anchors will be drawn downwardly. This causes the bed rail to be drawn firmly against the corner post of the head or'foot of the bed. Since the yoke is pivoted to the stem and the anchors are pivoted to the yoke, the anchors will be permitted to move independent of each other until they properly engage the pins 4 and then move together to draw the bed rail'and flange '6 into tight binding engagement with the corner post 2, In

"order to release the bed rail it is merely. necessary to loosen the nut and the anchors can be disengaged from the pin's'by pressing against the upper end of the yoke until the hooks are swung upwardly as indicated by dotted lines in Figurel and a pulling action exerted to draw the anchors out of the pocket.

, What is claimed is 1; A-bedrail fastenercomprisinga mountingadapted to be secured against a bed rail,

' a bearing; projecting from said mounting,

' upper and'loweranchors slidably supported by saidmounting, a yoke extending between and pivoted to said anchors,a stem pivoted t0. the yokebetween the anchors and slidably pas'sedthrough the bearing, resilient means carried'by said-stem and yieldably rel sisting inward movement of the stem and anchors, and an adjusting nut threaded upon said stem andengaging said bearing;

2. A bedPrail fastener comprising a mounting-ada pted to be secured against a bed'rail, and including an inner bearing and outer guide means, upper and lower anchors slid ably supported by-said guide means and projectin'gl mwardly and outwardly therefrom,

a yoke extending between and pivotally connectedwith the inner ends of said anchors,

slidable through, the opening in the inner flange and an adjusting nut engaged with the protruding end of the stem.

5. A bed rail fastener comprising a plate a stem pivoted to said yoke intermediate said anchors. and slidable through said bearing,

yand: adjusting means carried by said stem and-bearing against said bearing.

8; A bed railfastener comprising a plate adapted; to be secured} against a bed rail, in-

ner and outer flanges projecting from said plate, the inner' flange having an opening thereinand'jthe' outer flange formed with slots above and below the opening, anchors slidablethrough said slots, a yoke extending between and pivotally connected with the inner ends of said anchors, a stem pivoted to said yoke between-its ends, and extending inwardly therefrom and having a, threaded free end portion-extending through the openingin the inner flange, a spring coiled about said stem and bearing against the inner" flange, and an adjusting nut upon thethreadedend of the stem contacting with the inner U flange. V a 5h A bed rail fastener comprising a" plate adapted tobe secured against a bed rail, in-

ner and outer flanges projecting from-said plate, the inner flange having an opening therein and the outer flange formed with slotsaboveand below the opening, anchors slidable through said slots, and means to draws-via anchors inwardly includinga stem 

